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Mac How To: Make a USB macOS (or OS X) Installer (10.11.x-10.13.x)

NOTICE: This article has been updated for macOS Sierra and macOS High Sierra - I've included OS X El Capitan, macOS Sierra, and macOS High Sierra instructions for any stages with different requirements or commands.

At the time of writing, Apple still don’t offer a simple utility one can use to create a bootable USB installer for OS X. However, that doesn’t mean you need to take your Mac into an Apple Store to get OS X re-installed.

An internet connection or a pre-downloaded copy of mac OS/OS X from the App Store

Downloading macOS/OS X:

You’ll need to download a copy of the OS X installer from the App Store.

For Mac OS X El Capitan (10.11.x):

Open App Store (CMD + SPACE and search for App Store and press Enter) and then search for El Capitan. Click the first result and then select Download. Click Continue if a notice comes up saying “OS X v10.11.x is already installed…”.

Wait for the download to complete and close the installer if it opens automatically.

For macOS Sierra (10.12.x):

Open App Store (CMD + SPACE and search for App Store and press Enter) and then search for Sierra. Click the first result and then select Download. Click Continue if a notice comes up saying “macOS v10.12.x is already installed…”.

Wait for the download to complete and close the installer if it opens automatically.

macOS Sierra in the App Store

For macOS High Sierra (10.13.x):

Open App Store (CMD + SPACE and search for App Store and press Enter) and then search for HighSierra. Click the first result and then select Download. Click Continue if a notice comes up saying “macOS v10.13.x is already installed…”.

Wait for the download to complete and close the installer if it opens automatically.

macOS High Sierra

Preparing the USB memory stick/pendrive:

Firstly, back up any important data on the memory stick. We’ll be wiping it so make sure you have a copy of everything you need.